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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Suspension | Brakes | Chassis > New arms or just replace the bushings?



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      12-27-2011, 07:47 PM   #1
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New arms or just replace the bushings?

Ok, already got my one question answered in the engine forum and am hoping to get an answer to another question in this forum.

Took my car to the dealer to have some scheduled maintenance done. When I got the work order back they listed some other items that should be done. One of those items was the thrust rod bushings (tension strut?). I am wondering if I can just replace the leaking hydrobearings with the Powerflex urethane bushings ($100) OR should I replace both arms ($230)?? My car has 67k miles on it.

Thanks in advance.
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      12-27-2011, 08:26 PM   #2
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Lemforder and Meyle make replacement bushings as well. I wouldn't use urethane bushings.
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      12-27-2011, 08:32 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cvc 22349a View Post
Lemforder and Meyle make replacement bushings as well. I wouldn't use urethane bushings.
Why not urethane? I always thought those were better than rubber.
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      12-29-2011, 12:30 AM   #4
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Just replace the bushings, (the arms fit into the bushings.)
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      12-29-2011, 10:32 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snyperx View Post
Why not urethane? I always thought those were better than rubber.
They get noisy
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      12-29-2011, 11:38 AM   #6
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also, urethane doesn't last as long as rubber, so you would need to replace them more often than rubber bushings.
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      12-29-2011, 01:56 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cvc 22349a View Post
Lemforder and Meyle make replacement bushings as well. I wouldn't use urethane bushings.
Meyle also makes the "HD" replacement bushing. Has anyone tried that yet? We've all got M3 arms it seems like...
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      12-29-2011, 02:00 PM   #8
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Quote:
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Meyle also makes the "HD" replacement bushing. Has anyone tried that yet? We've all got M3 arms it seems like...
'AlanAZ' replaced his tension arms w/Meyle HD arms; says he likes them and didn't want to go M3
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      12-29-2011, 07:21 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cvc 22349a View Post
'AlanAZ' replaced his tension arms w/Meyle HD arms; says he likes them and didn't want to go M3
Cool, I missed that.
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      12-30-2011, 12:51 PM   #10
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Does anyone know the part number for the rubber bushings? I found the part number for the Hydrobearings (the one's currently leaking on my car).
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      12-30-2011, 02:07 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snyperx View Post
Does anyone know the part number for the rubber bushings? I found the part number for the Hydrobearings (the one's currently leaking on my car).
What exactly are you looking for? The hydrobearing you found is the replaceable bushing on the tension strut (31126763719).
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      12-30-2011, 02:10 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyu View Post
What exactly are you looking for? The hydrobearing you found is the replaceable bushing on the tension strut (31126763719).
I know, but are they the same as the thrust rod bushing? I mean is the hydrobearing and the thrust rod bushing the same thing?
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      12-30-2011, 02:23 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snyperx View Post
I know, but are they the same as the thrust rod busing? I mean is the hydrobearing and the thrust rod busing the same thing?
The hydrobearing I'm thinking of is #10 in the following diagram:

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None of the other joints in front appear to be replaceable.
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      01-03-2012, 11:25 AM   #14
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^^ With that in mind do I just replace the bushings then? No one has really said one way or the other. Also I never got a clear understanding of why not to use the Powerflex urethane bushings except that they wear out faster.


UPDATE: I talked to Max at OEM Bimmer Parts and he stated to replace the arms since the ball joints wear at almost the same rate at the bushings. I can go to the Meyle HD arms for about $200.
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      01-03-2012, 04:18 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snyperx View Post
UPDATE: I talked to Max at OEM Bimmer Parts and he stated to replace the arms since the ball joints wear at almost the same rate at the bushings. I can go to the Meyle HD arms for about $200.
Another reason to replace the entire arm is that it saves labor. In that case your other option is to get the M3 tension strut. That's what a lot of us did -- and we bought the M3 control arm too (the companion front arm down there).

Or, you could buy used original arms for cheap. I'd be happy to sell you mine if you like. They have a few thousand miles on them, around 5K. They still might even have some of that new control arm smell...
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      01-04-2012, 07:59 PM   #16
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How much for your like new tension rods? I have about 85k on mine. They were off the car briefly while I had M3 arms that I found to be way to stiff.
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      01-04-2012, 08:04 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snyperx View Post
^^ With that in mind do I just replace the bushings then? No one has really said one way or the other. Also I never got a clear understanding of why not to use the Powerflex urethane bushings except that they wear out faster.


UPDATE: I talked to Max at OEM Bimmer Parts and he stated to replace the arms since the ball joints wear at almost the same rate at the bushings. I can go to the Meyle HD arms for about $200.
I think Max is right. Those Meyle HD arms should be great if you're not replacing other control arms/bushings with M3 parts
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      01-05-2012, 10:33 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cvc 22349a View Post
I think Max is right. Those Meyle HD arms should be great if you're not replacing other control arms/bushings with M3 parts
I may replace the other arms at some point. I started antoher thread to try and find out the benefit of the BMW M3 versus the Meyle HD arms are.
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